N.B. reports 107th COVID-19 related death, 40 new cases Saturday
New Brunswick is reporting another COVID-19 related death on Saturday, bringing the total number of deaths related to the virus to 107.
The latest death involves a person in their 70s in the Edmundston region (Zone 4).
“I was saddened to learn that another person has died due to COVID-19,” said N.B. Premier Blaine Higgs in a news release. “We are optimistic that our numbers will continue to improve, but to make that happen everyone must continue to follow the measures in place.”
“I want to send heartfelt condolences to those who are grieving the loss of their loved one,” added Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health. “I encourage all New Brunswickers to do their part to put our province in a better position to fight this virus.”
The province has reported 35 COVID-19 related deaths since Friday, Oct. 8.
40 NEW CASES SATURDAY
Health officials in New Brunswick are also reporting 40 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, along with 81 recoveries, as the total number of active cases in the province drops to 689.
According to health officials, 21 of Saturday's 40 new cases, or 52.5 per cent, are unvaccinated. Five cases, or 12.5 per cent, are partially vaccinated, and 14 cases, or 35 per cent, are fully vaccinated.
The province says there are currently 43 people in hospital in New Brunswick due to COVID-19, with 13 in an intensive care unit. Of those currently in hospital, 22 are unvaccinated, two are partially vaccinated, and 19 are fully vaccinated.
Of the 13 people in the ICU, none are fully vaccinated, 12 are unvaccinated, and one is partially vaccinated.
"What we are seeing now, is basically a surge in the number of cases, and I think it has to do with loosening of restrictions in the summer, probably after July,” says Dr. Zahid Butt an infectious disease epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Waterloo's School of Public Health Sciences.
Although there are circuit-breakers in effect for different parts of the province, Dr. Butt believes a circuit breaker should be extended to all of New Brunswick to slow the fourth wave.
"This is the Delta variant, so the Delta variant is highly transmissable so you'd have to go one step ahead of the virus," says Butt. "You cannot wait to see another region turning into a hotspot before you implement another circuit breaker lockdown."
Meanwhile, New Brunswick’s opposition leader is calling for more resources from the province to go towards better control at our borders.
"Right now there's no control points, and for me, that's a serious concern," says Roger Melanson, leader of New Brunswick’s Liberal opposition. "People who do enter New Brunswick need to register online and need to prove online through their registration that they're double vaxxed, but there's no checkpoints - people can come in anyway, doubly vaxxed or not."
New Brunswick has had 6,112 cumulative cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.
In total, 5,315 people have recovered and 107 people have died in the province from COVID-19.
Public health says a total of 516,313 COVID-19 tests have been processed since the start of the pandemic.
The number of cases are broken down by New Brunswick’s seven health zones:
- Zone 1 – Moncton region: 1,771 confirmed cases (288 active cases)
- Zone 2 – Saint John region: 578 confirmed cases (59 active cases)
- Zone 3 – Fredericton region: 1,265 confirmed cases (99 active cases)
- Zone 4 – Edmundston region: 1,403 confirmed cases (104 active case)
- Zone 5 – Campbellton region: 654 confirmed cases (108 active cases)
- Zone 6 – Bathurst region: 286 confirmed cases (13 active cases)
- Zone 7 – Miramichi region: 155 confirmed cases (18 active cases)
Eleven new cases were reported in the Moncton region (Zone 1) involving:
- four people age 19 and under
- one person in their 20s
- two people in their 30s
- three people in their 40s
- one person in their 70s
All 11 cases are under investigation.
Nine new cases were reported in the Saint John region (Zone 2) involving:
- four people age 19 and under
- three people in their 20s
- two people in their 60s
All nine cases under investigation.
Seven new cases were reported in the Fredericton region (Zone 3) involving:
- one person in their 20s
- one person in their 30s
- four people in their 40s
- one person in their 50s
All seven cases are under investigation
Seven new cases were reported in the Edmundston region (Zone 4) involving:
- three people in their 20s
- one person in their 30s
- one person in their 40s
- two people in their 60s
All seven cases are under investigation.
Five new cases were reported in the Campbellton region (Zone 5) involving:
- one person age 19 and under
- two people in their 30s
- one person in their 40s
- one person in their 60s
All five cases are under investigation.
One new case was reported in the Bathurst region (Zone 6) involving a person age 19 and under, and is under investigation.
VACCINE UPDATE
As of Friday, 83.6 per cent of New Brunswickers age 12 and older are fully vaccinated and 92.1 per cent have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
In total, 1,223,009 vaccine doses have been administered in New Brunswick.
All provincial government employees, staff in long-term care facilities and staff and volunteers in schools and licensed early learning and child-care facilities must be fully vaccinated by Friday, Nov. 19.
All eligible New Brunswickers can book their second dose appointments now for a date that is at least 28 days after their first dose.
POTENTIAL PUBLIC EXPOSURES
A full list of potential COVID-19 exposure notifications in New Brunswick can be found on the province's website.
Anyone with symptoms of the virus, as well as anyone who has been at the site of a possible public exposure, is urged to request a test online or call Tele-Care at 811 to get an appointment.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau acknowledges charges in Nijjar killing, calls for commitment to democracy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the charges laid Friday in relation to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.